LG Professionals Australia has gone into voluntary liquidation after becoming financially unsustainable.

The decision was made at a special general meeting on Wednesday afternoon.

“The National Board made the difficult decision to recommend winding up LG Professionals Australia National principally due to its lack of financial sustainability, significantly impacted by the effects of COVID-19,” President Jonathan Throssell said.

“For example face to face events were not possible and were a key source of income. While the Board worked hard to trim down its operations in response, there was a noticeable move away from members attending interstate and national activities, and ultimately the organisation could not recover from these impacts.”

The organisation had its origins in October 1936 as The Municipal Clerks’ Institute founded by Raymond West, the then Town Clerk of the City of Shepparton, Victoria. In 2001, the name was changed to Local Government Managers Australia, before being rebadged as LG Professionals Australia in 2014 to reflect its broader membership base.

Mr Throssell said  LG Professionals Australia had fostered connections between local government professionals across Australia and internationally, and provided platforms for engagement to share best practice and expand professional networks.

The national office also acted as a conduit to federal government, giving local government professionals access to ministers and senior bureaucrats involved in local government policy.

“While I am personally very sad that the decision to wind up the national body had to be made, ultimately, we are leaving our mission to facilitate unique opportunities and attract the best and brightest to the local government sector in safe hands,” Mr Throssel said.

The closure will not affect individual member activities, which will continue to be delivered by member associations in each State and Territory.

Stephen Wesley Hathway has been appointed as Liquidator.